Is Chancellor Schroeder (Germany) having an affair (a la Bill Clinton)?

Das Bild ^ | 12/30/02

[TBret]

Talk about freedoms...the last place you will get freedom of speech is Germany.

That's very true. You only have the freedom and protection to promote communist propaganda and anti-american lies in Germany. The situation in german internet forums is even worse. Sad but very true...

[Ohioan]

I have two problems with this sort of article--whether directed at Bill Clinton, Herr Schroeder or anyone else:

1. It violates the rule that private matters should be kept private. Here not only is Schroeder being embarrassed, as is the girl friend. But so is his wife. All three are victimized by scandal seeking. You may argue that Schroeder deserves it, but does his wife? And if she does, do his kids--if any--or anyone else in any of those peoples families? Does the public at large benefit from a perception that private matters are now public?

2. But yet more serious, in the case of Socialist theorists like Clinton and Schroeder, it is a distraction from their public misdeeds. When the House got on Clinton for lying in answer to a question which should not have been asked, for a variety of reasons, they actually diverted attention from impeachable misconduct in the Office of Commander in Chief. Clinton used the armed forces of the American people as a personal plaything, to advance his Leftwing social values--both sexual (homosexual issues and women in combat) and political (Haiti, Kosovo, an aspirin factory in Sudan, etc..) This is so infinitely more serious than his rather weird encounters with Monica--of which we would all be better off if we knew less, not more--that there is no comparison. (See President Clinton & The Abuse Of Power.)

Schroeder stands for a lot of really despicable things. He is undermining German Society in ways that frankly remind one of the earlier German Socialist Government under an Austrian emigre, who plunged Europe into a World War. People ought to be focused on what the bastard is doing to the public of his country, not what he does in his girl friend's bedroom!

William Flax Return Of The Gods Web Site

[I_Love_My_Husband]

Thank you both for explaining what the paper was saying!

It's pretty terrible that the Germans, who criticized us for exposing Clinton/Monica affair, are taking the paper to court for exposing basically the same thing! I'm sure Das Bild knows more but is prevented from saying so due to this!

Socialists hate freedom of speech, it's proven time and time again.

[longjack]

As I read the story in the "Bild Zeitung" I did not get the idea there was an affair. I could summarize the article as follows:

The "Märkische Oderzeitung" article reported that the Schröders are fighting a lot, Mr. Schröder is not going home to Hannover a lot, and when he doesn't seem to be sleeping at home as often as one would expect he should.

To stop the rumours that are swirling, Mr. Schröder sued the paper, whereupon the paper sued him in return. The case goes to court in January.

The "Bild" reminds readers that Schröder used the same strategy to stop papers reporting the rumors he was dying his hair that were circulating last spring.

Further, the "Bild" editorializes that since Schröder was the first German politician to use his family situation as a political weapon, the paper's reporting of his family strife isn't necessarily a personal attack.

The URL for German readers is:

BILD-Click on Picture Top Left

If a German reader would give me their opinion, I would be grateful.

An affair is never mentioned in this article. The impression I'm left with is that the Schröders are fighting like cats and dogs. Schröder used the example of his family as a model of what the future German family (his wife is a career woman, or "Power-FRAU") should look like in the campaign. The chickens are coming home to roost now.

The "BILD", for all its foibles, serves it up on a silver platter for all to see with this article. They're going to bat for the small newspaper, here, I would say.

I agree with Aristeides, Schröder looks thin-skinned on this one.

longjack

[aristeides]

When the House got on Clinton for lying in answer to a question which should not have been asked, for a variety of reasons, they actually diverted attention from impeachable misconduct in the Office of Commander in Chief.

The reason the question got asked, in Clinton's case, is that the question had become germane in the Paula Jones suit because of the Violence Against Women Act that Clinton had signed. I agree it was bad law, but against whom could that bad law be more justly applied than the person who was most responsible for it being a law to which everyone else was -- and still is, for that matter -- subject?

[aristeides]

Remember when Schroeder, as a joke, gave a cigar to Clinton during a dinner in Berlin?

[I_Love_My_Husband]

Reminds me of The Sun. How are the Bild's politics? The Sun is right leaning and supports the US.

[longjack]

It would be hard for me to put the "BILD" in any political direction.

They report contoversial issues from a "man in the street" angle, have a lot of funny articles about dumb things everday people do, have a good sports (soccer) section and usually a novel as a serial.

It's a paper you would read on the commute, or when you have idle time at work. The articles are informative, but you can't take them seriously. The article today is a good case in point. Schroeder sues the paper that reports he's fighting with his wife, just like he sued the paper that reported he's dying his hair. That's the gist of it, from Joe 6-pack's point of view, which "BILD" can verbalize.

I'm not living in Germany anymore, so maybe Michael or pepsionice can tell us what "BILD" is doing now.

longjack

[Ohioan]

The reason the question got asked, in Clinton's case, is that the question had become germane in the Paula Jones suit because of the Violence Against Women Act that Clinton had signed. I agree it was bad law, but against whom could that bad law be more justly applied than the person who was most responsible for it being a law to which everyone else was -- and still is, for that matter -- subject?

I agree with you as to the poetic justice aspect. But in my opinion, that does not make the whole procedure palatable. Miss Jones was insulted by a crude chap, whose behavior was pure skid row. Clinton deserved to spend a night in jail for indecent exposure--that much is beyond dispute. But to tie up a Federal Court with a showcase suit, designed to enrich the victim and humiliate the shameless bum is absurd. This would have gone no where at all, had Clinton not been President of the United States.

I just don't believe in going down skid row to expose a skid row bum. Now, as for that bum's conduct in office, in supposedly discharging his official duties? You could probably persuade me that he should be drawn and quartered and each quarter hung on a gibbet for that. You see, this particular skid row bum is the ultimate Fabian Socialist, using a cross between Hitlerian techniques and those of the British Webbs, to destroy your and my heritage. (I mean after a fair trial, and due process, of course.)

Happy New Year!

William Flax Return Of The Gods Web Site

[pepsionice]

BILD is simply riding the wave. Its extremely popular right now to critize Schroeder. Every comedy show is doing it. The morning radio shows play little skits. His tax and economic policies are basic failures. Over 48 tax increases across the country since July, which really tells the story. Gas just went up 12 cents more today (compliments of the Greens strategy). The major businesses in the country have finally unloaded on Schroeder in the past week or two...hinting of total chaos in the government and no agenda.

BILD swings any direction, as long as it helps to sell papers. I suspect this court case will be very short. They simply don't have the name of the woman involved. They just know that he isn't sleeping back with his wife or in his apartment in Berlin....which leads to the question where is he sleeping, and if this is wife number four....obvously he knows where to find beds.

And if all of these insults were not enough...Kohl finally came out of the basement in the past week. With great fanfare, he lashed out at Schroeder as being incompetent...something you could never accuse Kohl of being. He might have taken a little bit of bribes but he kept taxes down and the economy up.

[Michael81Dus]

Mother askes her daughter: "so what´s your wish for Christmas?" the daughter "I want a new Chancellor!" Mom: "And will you tell me why?" "Because if the old one remains in office, I won´t get any gift in the next four years!"

Gerhard Schröder wants to invite his wife Doris to the opera. Because he´s not sure how to buy the tickets, he asks another man standing in the queue. "No problem, Mr. Chancellor, just do it like me!" The man orders two tickets for "Tristan and Isolde", pays and leave the ticket office. Schröder to the seller: "Well, I want two tickets for Gerhard and Doris!"


How do you realize that Schröder´s lying?
Answer: he´s moving his lips.


Bush, Hussein and Schröder are talking with GOD, everyone of the three may ask one question.
Bush: "When will all Americans be happy?" GOD: "In 44 years!" Bush: "Oh... I won´t be in office at that time..."

Hussein: "When will the world accept that Iraq´s a dictatorship?" -"In 88 years." Hussein: "Oh... I won´t be in office at that time..."

Schröder: "When will I make my promises come true?"
GOD: "Sorry, I don´t know. I won´t be in office at that time!"

[starboardside]

Sounds like "Der Schlickmeister", his relations were with a cigar. As for Monica...well you can figure out the rest.

[longjack]

Thanks for the report. I vividly remember watching a debate in the election campaign of 1998 between Schroeder and Wolfgang Schaeuble (CDU).

Schauble was brilliant, his analysis of the economic and political issues objective and his demeanor professional. He was met with derision on every comment.

Schroeder would answer with slogans and promises and was cheered wildly by the live TV audience.

I hope that constituency has seen Schroeder, the SPD and his Green partners for what they are, but "Gegen Ignoranz kämpfen eben die Götter vergebens", so who knows.

Which personality can the CDU offer to oppose Schroeder? Merkel?

I sure hope things straighten out. Hopefully they haven't screwed up the woodland paths and coffee and chocalate cake at the Gasthaus in the forest.

Frohes neues Jahr und einen guten Rutsch.

longjack

[longjack]

Michael:

I have one.

Bush, Hussein and Schroeder are at an outside hotel bar next to a swimming pool. The swimming pool is empty.

Bush asks, "Why is the pool empty"?

The bartender says, "Stand on the diving board, make a wish, and dive in. We fill the pool with what you wish for."

Bush gets on the board, closes his eyes, says "Perrier water", and jumps in. Sure enough, the pool fills with Perrier. (Bush doesn't drink)

Hussein gets on the board, says "Cognac", and dives into the cognac filled pool.

Schroeder gets up on the board, says "Pils", dives in and lands flat on his face on the concrete at the bottom of the empty pool. The bartender walks over to the edge of the pool, looks down and says, "Du, Gerhard, ein guten Pils dauert 7 minuten".

An inside joke. "A good Pils takes 7 minutes". You have to be a Pils drinker to appreciate it. A Pils is a type of beer that takes a long time to draw at the tavern.

longjack

[PJ-Comix]

Give him credit. Schoeder's girlfriend looks a lot better than Monica.

[Michael81Dus]

I know that joke with the addition that Schröder, after landing in the empty pool says: "shit!" ... :-)

[Hobo anonymous]

Schroeder is a scumbag, true to that! But, Germany has the largest presence in Afghanistan right now, and they've been a big help. I'm dissapointed they wont help out with Iraq. I mean, yeah the only thing we have to worry about is the Republican Guard, and the KSK could take care of them. Speaking of Germany SOG, I think they did a little recon and found out that Iraq had old radio controlled MiGs with biological/chemical weapon payloads.

Schroeder was re-elected because of he took advantage of the Anti-American Sentiment which seems to be all the rage these days. VERY comparable to good ol' Billy (Clinton)


"I did not have sexual relations with that women... *slams diet coke on the desk*" -Bill Clinton

[Michael81Dus]

Schröder was reelected because of two reasons:
- he made foreign policy to be a campaign topic (Iraq crisis). Naturally, the government has in the eyes of the population more competence to speak about foreign policy. Schröder said he could prevent a war against Iraq - and nothing the Germans hate more than war.
[A poll from yesterday: although 82% believe that Saddam is a danger for peace and 72% think he should be taken to prison, 71% don´t want German soldiers engaged in a war.]
- the flood in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Bavaria helped him to take the focus of the bad economy but to his glorious help for the people ("nobody shall have disadvantage because of the floodings").

If we hadn´t the flood, the voters in the eastern states would have supported the conservative opposition...
no wonder that the Christian Democrats would gain absolute majority if we had elections on Sunday.

[pepsionice]

Apparently Bild and the press continue on...stories today centered around a 'deal' that Doris got...to stay on in the marriage and campaign for Schroeder...and she could get her divorce this summer with all the things she desired. Doris played a key role in the election campaign...making her way on at least 3 major shows that I knew saw. She constantly played the nice wife who stood by her husband, and the moderator constantly tossed such easy questions...you could see it was a setup for SPD...on the national network (the one you have to pay your tv tax for). If this is true...then Schroeders court case is on the slide....and everyone will have a low opinion of the guy. They all whined about the treatment that we gave Bill Clinton...who basically did the same thing. I can't wait till the court weighs in and asks some stupid questions. Schroeder will fall over himself in denying anything, and I bet that Bild has fair evidence...otherwise, they wouldn't have allowed this thing to go as far as it has.

[longjack]

pepsionice:

Thanks for the update. It sure does seem like Bild has their fangs in him.

It appears that the elections coming up in Hessen and Niedersachsen will go CDU. I think Schroeder is going to have to pull another rabbit out of his hat to survive 2003.

Thanks again for the update.

longjack